Zechariah 3:5 Commentary and Bible Study

The headgear of the priest (Exodus 29:6) denoted the whole ministry of the priest – a ministry of atonement. This is going to be Joshua's mission: to reform the worship back to where it should have been, so that it worthily symbolised the principle of atonement. That was the central message of the temple. All the images on the walls of the earlier temple – much more splendid than this second temple – were images of peace, of reconciliation. All the sacrifices were visual aids of atonement. The temple was all about atonement. It was all about the work of the coming Christ: and they ‘clothed [Joshua] with garments.’ ‘And the angel of the LORD stood by’ to show that this was done with his approval and according to his instruction. The priesthood which was to continue until the incarnation was to continue despite its imperfections, and then the perfect High Priest would come.